308 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTEK. 



The reply of the driver Tvas exceedingly apt and 

 characteristic. 



" There is no difficulty," said he, " in getting down 

 the hill, but you well know there are a variety of ways 

 of doing the same thing; the drag-chain would be of little 

 use, as the wheel-tire would make a runner of it. I think 

 you had better all take your places inside, say your 

 prayers, and let me put off — and if yonder grinning moon 

 has a wish to see a race between a stage and four horses 

 down ' Ball Mountain,' she'll be gratified, and see sights 

 that would make a locomotive blush." 



The prospect was rather a doleful one ; w^e had 

 about ninety chances in a hundred that we would make 

 a " smash of it," and we had the same number of chances 

 of being frozen to death if we did not take the risk of 

 being " smashed," for the first tavern we could get to 

 was at the foot of the mountain. The driver was a 

 smart fellow, and had some hostage in the world worth 

 living for, because he was but three days wedded — had 

 he been married six months we would not have trusted 

 him. 



The vote was taken ; and it was decided to '' go 

 ahead." 



If I were to describe an unpleasant situation, I 

 should say that it was to be in a stage, the door closed 

 on you, with great probabilities that it will be opened by 

 your head thrusting itself through the oak panels, with 

 the axle of the wheel at the same time falling across 



